


Decendant of Dark

by Doom1713



Category: Dark Souls (Video Games), Dark Souls 1
Genre: Gen, My First Fanfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-04
Updated: 2019-05-03
Packaged: 2019-11-09 09:10:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17998997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doom1713/pseuds/Doom1713
Summary: Follow The last decendant of the furtive pygmy as he begins his quest to bring about the Age of Darkness





	1. The Asylum’s Madman

**Author's Note:**

> Each time I read this, I dislike my word choice and grammar more and more. Ill probably end up re-writing it, but ill finish the Asylum first.

In the Age of Ancients, the world was unformed, shrouded by fog. A land of grey crags, archtrees, and everlasting dragons. But then there was Fire. And with Fire came Disparity.

Heat and cold

Life and death

And of course….

Light and dark.

Then, from the Dark, they came. And found the Souls of Lords within the flames. 

Nito, the first of the dead  
The Witch of Izalith, and her daughters of chaos  
Gwyn, the Lord of Sunlight, and his faithful knights  
And the furtive pygmy, so easily forgotten.

With the strength of Lords, they challenged the dragons…

Gwyn’s mighty bolts peeled apart their stone scales. The witches weaved great firestorms. Nito unleashed a miasma of death and disease.

And Seath the Scaleless betrayed his own, and the dragons were no more.

Thus began the Age of Fire. But soon the flames will fade, and only Dark will remain….

Even now, there are only embers. And man sees not light, but only endless nights. And amongst the living, are seen, carriers of the accursed Darksign.

Yes, indeed. The Darksign brands the Undead. And in this land, the Undead are corralled and led to the north, where they are locked away, to await the end of the world... This is your fate.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Blinding light filled the room. It had been so long in the dark and dank cell, Hydraxus had forgot what warmth felt like . As his eyes adjusted, he heard a rush of sound followed by a sickening crack of bones breaking on the stone floor. A Hollowed corpse, the light gone from its eyes, was sprawled on the before him. A mass of root-like flesh covered the left side of its body. A side-effect of the Darksign. He looked up to where the body came from. A knight in full battle gear stood above, looking through the hole in the roof of his cell. The knight stared at him for a short while, then left without a sound. Hydraxus rose to his feet, and searched the Hollow’s body. Other then the tattered clothing, there was a rusted iron key tucked into the folds of its clothing. He grabbed the key, and started towards his cell door with excitement. He put the key in the lock and, upon turning it, pushed the door open. Finally, freedom! He took stock of what he had, albeit scarce. His armor, consisting of boots, gauntlets, leggings, and a chest plate made of hardened leather, with a steel helm and pauldrons. His, well, he wasn’t really sure what to call it. It was the snapped handle of his sword, once his most prized possession. He also had the key he had taken from the Hollow, and 2 Speration Crystals, black on the top end. And, lastly, he had a ring of keys, known as the Master Key. It had keys that fit every lock ever created. Hydraxus put his things away, and started down the hallway on the other side of his cell door, but stopped short when he heard a series of loud sounds that sounded like massive footsteps. He looked to his right, towards the source of the noise. He could vaguely make out the shape of a large…….thing in a large room separated from the hallway by iron bars. Hydraxus knew of the Asylum Demon, the fat beast that guarded the exit of the Undead Asylum, but why would it be down here? Wouldn’t the exit be above ground? Seeing as how there were bars between them, Hydraxus didn’t see it as a problem. He kept moving down the hall, but stopped when he came across a Hollow. It was leaning up against the wall, and looked defenseless. A sudden and terrifying urge came across him. A feeling of bloodlust. The need to kill. The more Hydraxus resisted, the more powerful the urge became, until his will faltered. He raised his broken sword, and began to slam the Hollow over and over with his dulled sword. With each blow, Hydraxus fell deeper into a state of madness, until he began to enjoy his brutal actions. Over and over he hit the Hollow, until it collapsed and stopped moving. Immediately after he had killed the Hollow, his state of mind was restored. He stood there for a moment, blood dripping from his sword and his armor. What had he done? He stood there for a while, and then continued forward. He didn't go very far before he encountered another Hollow. The bloodlust came over him even quicker then before. This time, Hydraxus’s resistance proved even more futile. He gave in, and let the madness consume him. He began to beat the Hollow mercilessly, the only emotion he felt being the intense joy of slaughtering another Hollow. Again, when the Hollow was vanquished, the madness receded. Hydraxus fell to his knees. His head swam with questions and fear. He had never experienced the lust for blood before. He was beyond terrified. If he encountered anyone once he had escaped the asylum, what would happen? If he went back to Astora, he would be locked back up, tortured, and left to rot yet again, persecuted as a madman. Not dwelling on the fact he would most likely never see his home again, he continued on. At the end of the hallway, a short set of stairs led up to a square room. The center of the room was set into the ground, and water had flooded it. He scanned the room, and barely had time to realize his mistake before he set his eyes upon another Hollow. It was sitting in the water, in the back corner of the room. Like a giant wave, the bloodlust was sudden and powerful. There was no resisting. Hydraxus only had time to think, “Velka, forgive me.”, before it overtook his mind. He let out a roar, and charged into the water, broken sword raised. Then, he did something that he hadn’t done before. He slammed the pommel of his sword hilt into the Hollows skull, knocking it unconscious. He searched the unconscious body, and found a broken straight sword, the broken end having a jagged, sharp point. He was strangely….elated about this. Deep in his mind, Hydraxus was very confused. Why was he happy to find a broken sword when he already had one? What use did he have for another weapon? The Hollow was beginning to stir. Hydraxus grabbed the Hollow by the back of the neck and shoved it into the wall. He held the broken end of the sword he had stolen to it's back. Slowly, Hydraxus forced the point of the sword into the Hollow. It screamed and writhed in pain,which only succeeded in forcing the sword deeper into it's back. He felt the sword grind against the Hollows spine. He grinned, and slowly forced the broken blade to cut through the Hollows spine. Eventually, the Hollow stopped moving and collapsed. Hydraxus yanked the blade out of it's back, bringing on another scream and a rush of blood from the Hollow. It's spine broken, the Hollow could not move its body, other then it's head. The madness receded, and Hydraxus made a realization. He had two sides now. One side, which was his normal state of mind. And the other side. The side that came out when he would come across a creature. It had an insatiable lust for blood and death, and a knack for torture. Looking down at the immobilized Hollow, the madness resurfaced, but much weaker. Hydraxus could still control his body, while his mind swam with the need to kill. The thoughts that he thought while in this state were horrid. But there was something else underneath the madness. A small voice had manifested itself. It sounded as if the speakers lungs had been eaten away by maggots. He couldn't hear it at first, but slowly, he could make out the phrase,

“Find the Darkstalker.”

Over and over, the voice said it. It was getting louder, until it was as if someone was talking to him from right in front of him. The phrase changed. Now, the voice, definitely male, was saying, 

“Finish his work.”

Hydraxus tore his eyes away from the Hollow, and his thoughts returned to normal. But the voice stayed. Now, it was speaking full sentences, and began to have a conversation with him.

“Do you know your heritage?” said the voice. “Do you know your purpose?”

Hydraxus, speaking his first words in months, said,

“I am Hydraxus. Loyal warrior of Astora, and follower of All-Father Lloyd. My purpose is to defend Astora from trespassers. I seek what is right, and strive to protect those who are in danger.”

It was a automatic response. He was asked this question many times during the war with Caterina. His captain made sure his soldiers always knew why they were there. The voice laughed, and responded.

“I am Ren. I am loyal to the Abyss. I follow the work of the furtive pygmy. My purpose is to spread darkness, and to await the coming of the Dark Lord.”

Hydraxus stood there, puzzled. Who was the furtive pygmy? What was the Abyss? And who was this Dark Lord that Ren was waiting for? As if Ren had read his mind, he said,

“The Abyss was created by Manus 300 years ago. It is the collection of all darkness that ever existed. The furtive pygmy was one of the four who possessed a Lord Soul and became the Lords. He gave his Lord Soul up to create humans. The Dark Lord is a descendant of the furtive pygmy. Their fate is to make a pilgrimage to the land of the Ancient Lords, Lordran, and kill Lord Gwyn, bringing on the Age of Darkness, and ruling the world as the Lord of Darkness.”

Hydraxus began to ask who Manus was, but Ren cut him off.

“Manus was the father of the Abyss. His gravesite was uncovered by the people of Oolacile. They tortured him, and his humanity ran wild, turning him into a monster and creating the Abyss. The Abyss corrupted the people of Oolacile, turning them into Bloatheads. The knight Artorias made a covenant with the Abyss to be able to traverse it and hunt it's monsters. He came and tried to stop Manus, but was corrupted by the Abyss. But, a different warrior came and challenged Manus. He succeeded, and Manus was slain. Enough of that. You didn’t answer my first question. Do you know your heritage?”

Hydraxus knew of Artorias, and that he had been corrupted by something. Everyone knew who Artorias was. But his heritage…..Hydraxus spoke,

“I do not know my parents. My father was killed in battle before I was born and my mother died during my birth. I was denied the knowledge of who they were. I was brought up by the town blacksmith. I had no family other then the blacksmith that raised me, and he died during the war with Caterina.”

Ren was silent for a moment. And then, with a voice like steel, he said slowly,

“Hydraxus, you are a descendant of the furtive pygmy. One of the only humans left from his bloodline. There is a prophecy that I believe you are destined to fulfill.”

Before Ren could continue, the Hollow beneath Hydraxus feet groaned, not yet dead. Almost instantly, his mind was filled with the need for death. He slammed his boot against the Hollows neck, and, with a sickly gurgle, the Hollow went still. Hydraxus, still recovering from the rage, asked Ren what was happening. But Ren was silent. Hydraxus decided that he needed to move on. He began to scan his surroundings, trying to find the exit. But something was different. He, without being able to see anything other then what was extremely close to him, knew that the exit was on the other side the room, straight across from where he stood. He moved through the water, climbed out of the depression, and found the door, right where he knew it was. Now, Ren spoke.

“I will guide you through your journey. But you must promise me one thing. You will, to the best of your ability, attempt to become the Dark Lord. You will kill Gwyn, you will fail to link the First Flame, and you will bring on the Age of Dark.”

Hydraxus, without needing to think about his decision, and with all of the confidence he could muster, said,

“No.”

Ren was quiet. Then, with a mischievous tone, he said,

“I should of known better. I knew you weren’t the one. Your just a soldier, nothing special. Well, enjoy never being able to leave this cursed place!”

And then he was silent. Hydraxus, slightly concerned with the tone Ren had used, continued on. At the other end of the hallway, he came into a circular room. The walls were 15 feet high, and Hydraxus could see light above. A ladder was attached with rusting bolts to the wall. Hydraxus grabbed onto the ladder and began to climb. At the top of the room, sunlight illuminated him. He looked down to see his armor caked in drying blood. He looked to where the light was coming from. A courtyard sprawled out in front of him. It was empty, except for a small mound of ash and bones, with a coiled sword stuck into the middle. Hydraxus approached it, not knowing what it was meant for. Ren spoke suddenly and sharply.

“It’s a bonfire. Place your hand on the sword hilt.”

Hydraxus did as he was instructed, and a small flame was created in the ashes. 

“Now rest next to it.”, Ren said.

Hydraxus did, and he immediately felt refreshed. He thanked Ren, but got no response. Ren had gone silent once again. Standing up, Hydraxus noticed a set of large wooden doors. They were once blue, but were now overgrown by vines and had faded. Approaching them, he set his hands upon them, and pushed. The doors grinded against the stone floor, the rusted hinges squealing. Once the doors were open, Hydraxus walked into the room beyond them. He had entered into a large hall with no roof. The edges of the space were filled with pots. On the other end of the room, another set of black doors stood closed, with a large keyhole in the right door. As Hydraxus proceeded forward towards the doors, a shadow fell over the area in front of him. A hulking figure slammed down in front of him. The beast got to its feet, and Hydraxus froze. It stood at least 20 feet tall, with small wings sprouting from it's back. But it's most notable feature was its mass. It's stomach was larger then Hydraxus, and every time the beast moved, it swayed from side to side. This was the Asylum Demon. In its hands, it held a massive greathammer. Ren spoke once more.

“Now Hydraxus, you will meet your demise here! Over and over, you will die! You will never escape without my help! And dont think youre bloodlust will save you! Your sword is too dull to harm the Asylum Demon. Now, enjoy your eternal suffering!”

Hydraxus, still processing what Ren had said, looked up just in time to see the demon bringing it’s greathammer down on his head. He attempted to move, but he was paralyzed by fear. He had only felt that fear once. The first time he charged into battle against the knights of Catarina. He lowered his head, and felt the demons hammer slam into his back. Searing pain shot throughout his body. He shifted his head just enough to see the demon swing again, and the world went black.


	2. A Fateful Oath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hydraxus finds a companion and fights the Asylum Demon

Hydraxus was sore. His back ached, and his arms were tired. Fighting the Asylum Demon had been taxing on his body. After he had been killed the first time, he had woken up sitting next to the bonfire. His armor showed no evidence of the hammer that had smashed him into the ground, even being refit to his new stature. He had lost so much weight during his time in the asylum, his armor had become too big for his body, shifting around whenever he moved. But now, it was perfectly fit to him, not too small, not too big. The blood from the Hollows that had caked his armor was gone, and the steel of his helm shined as if someone had polished it. But, when he challenged the demon, he was slain again. Over and over, he would challenge the demon, be slaughtered, and wake up at the bonfire, no signs of harm on him. He had gone on like this for a long time, each time lasting a bit longer against the demon, learning the way it moved and how it attacked. Now, he knew everything about the way the Asylum Demon fought. The next time he confronted the demon, he was ready. Whilst fighting the demon for the third time, Hydraxus noticed a doorway on the west side of the room. But whenever he made a move towards it, the demon had bested him, it's hammer always catching him before he could enter the door. But the last time he had run for the door, the hammer only caught Hydraxus’s foot, tripping him and opening him up to punishment from the demon. Now, Hydraxus pushed the doors open with the determination to get into that door. Hydraxus wasted no time baiting out the demon’s forward swing, which took the demon the most time to recover from. Hydraxus rolled out of the way of the hammer, hearing the stones crumble underneath it. He got to his feet and sprinted towards the door. But just as he was about to dash inside, a iron portcullis slammed down, blocking his escape. Hydraxus grabbed it and tried to lift the iron gate, but it was no use. He managed to shift it a small amount before the Asylum Demon hammer smashed him into the ground, and once more, his vision faded, and he heard Ren laughing. Hydraxus woke up again by the bonfire. He started towards the doors again, but was stopped by Ren.

“See? You will never best the Asylum Demon on your own. Join me. Take the oath to become the Dark Lord. You do not have the strength to lift the gate by yourself. I can give you that strength, but you must pledge your allegiance to the Abyss.”

Again, Hydraxus refused. Ren did not speak, but a rush of wind ripped through the courtyard. The small flame of the bonfire sputtered, threatening to be extinguished. Ren spoke again.

“Normal wind cannot blow out the flames of a bonfire. But the power of the Abyss can. Join me, or never return to the Asylum. You will wake up at your former residence in Astora. You will end up killing every living thing you come across. Your friends, your brothers-in-arms, everyone. You will be captured and persecuted. You know what the Astorans to do people that have gone mad. Are you willing to risk one final fight with the demon, one you are destined to lose, and put the lives of everyone you care about in danger? Or rather, you would join me. You would continue through the Asylum, kill the demon, and begin your quest to bring on the Age of Darkness. You could see the blacksmith that raised you again. The choice is yours.”

Hydraxus thought for a moment, and then spoke, with a tone that was deadly even,

“I will join you. But you must promise me something. You will leave my head. You will rid me of the madness you have caused. Do we have a deal?”

Ren, responding in a voice that almost sounded joyful, said,

“Of course! As for leaving your head, you have some options. I can leave forever, giving you what you need to defeat the demon, but everything else afterwards, you will have to figure out on your own. Or, I can take control of another being. I will be able to guide you and help you throughout your journey, but I need a suitable host. And a Hollow won’t do. I need a sane Undead. And the madness was not of my creation. Your time in the Asylum is getting to you Hydraxus. I can, however, suppress it. But I need to be here to suppress it, meaning I need the host I had mentioned earlier. So, what is your decision?”

Hydraxus replied, his uncertainty rising in his chest.

“I will find you a host. But now, I need to get past the Asylum Demon.”

Not waiting for Rens response, he marched up to the doors and pushed. The doors flew open, and the demon turned to face Hydraxus. Just as before, he baited out the demons forward swing, and sprinted to the gate. He grabbed the base of the portcullis and began to force it upward. The gate moved as if it weighed nothing. Hydraxus ran inside of the corridor as the gate slammed down again. A roar erupted from the Asylum Demon, a roar of anger, as it had let it’s prey escape. Hydraxus looked down the hallway. It descended into another room, and he could make out the faint outline of another bonfire. He ran down and placed his hand on the coiled sword, causing a small flame to sputter to life, just as the other bonfire had done. Hydraxus rested, and looked around. He was in a room similar to the one he had been in when he tortured the Hollow. The depression was filled with water, just as the other had been. He could see the door on the other side of room, sunlight spilling out of it. He made his way towards the door, but stopped short as a arrow flew into the room and shattered on the wall behind him. Hydraxus peeked out of the doorway and saw a Hollow with a bow at the other end of the gently sloping hallway. He ducked back into the room as another arrow flew past. He looked back out, and saw a body that was slumped over in one of the cell doors that lined the hallway walls. He jumped out from behind the wall and ran to the corpse, just as a arrow tore through his right arm. Hydraxus ducked into the cell, sat down next to the corpse, and inspected his wound. The arrow hadn’t caused much damage, but it had torn straight through his armor, which upset him more than the injury. Upon closer inspection of the body, he noticed a heater-style shield. A solid piece of steel strapped to the corpses back. Hydraxus removed the shield and examined it. It was blue and white, with many battle scars on its surface. Hydraxus was familiar with the heater-style of shields. He had always carried one into battle with him. He strapped it to his arm. He peeked out into the hallway again. The Hollow shot again. He waited for the arrow to zip past, then charged out of the cell, his shield raised. The Hollow fired once more before turning around and running into a doorway. The arrow shattered against his shield as he came up to another corpse. A scabbard was fastened around it's waist, a sword hilt just visible from underneath the body. Hydraxus rolled the body over and took the scabbard and sword. He buckled the scabbard around his own waist and drew the sword. It was a longsword, with a shining blade and guard. The leather handle felt good in his hand, and the steel pommel counterbalanced the blade perfectly. Hydraxus tested the edge. It was extremely sharp. Another arrow whistled by, coming from the corridor that the Hollow had escaped into. This time, it hit Hydraxus in the chest. His armor was pierced, and the arrow lodged itself in his chest. He collapsed, and Ren spoke.

“I can stop suppressing your bloodlust for a short while whilst you take care of that Hollow, but you will bleed out soon if you don't get to a bonfire soon.”

Hydraxus coughed into his hand. It came away from his mouth bloody. He shut his eyes tightly and said,

“Do it.”

Instantly, his mind was lost and he lept up. He sprinted into the hallway that the arrow had come from. Another arrow came down the corridor, but Hydraxus raised his shield and deflected it. The Hollow was at the top of a flight of stairs. Hydraxus took them three at a time as he charged towards the Hollow, his sword drawn. He slammed his shield into the Hollow, causing it fall backwards and into the ground. Hydraxus placed one foot on top of the Hollows chest and set his sword tip on the Hollows throat. With a smile, he slowly pushed the tip of his sword through the Hollows throat, until he had pierced the backside of the Hollows neck. He quickly pulled it out, and a spray of blood shot out from the Hollow. It made a attempt to crawl away from Hydraxus, but he slammed his heel against it's head and the Hollow went still. As his mind cleared, his breath became ragged and shallow. He coughed up more blood and began to sway from side to side. Hydraxus stumbled down the stairs, making his way slowly to the bonfire back in the other room. He collapsed next to it and blacked out. When he awoke, the wound in his chest and his arm had closed. He stood and made his way back to the hallway where he had fought the Hollow. The Hollows body was still there, laying in a pool of blood. Hydraxus continued forward, entering into a balcony that wrapped around the courtyard that he had been in before. He had two options, left or right. To the left, darkness. To the right, darkness. He decided to go right. There were two sets of stairs. One leading up, one leading down. Up seemed to be the correct decision, as going down would just lead him to the courtyard he had been in before. He hadn’t made it more than halfway up the stairs when the sound of steel grinding on stone filled his ears. A large metal ball slammed into him, having been rolled down the stairs. Hydraxus was thrown down off the stairs as the ball smashed through the wall behind him. He stood and examined the hole the ball had made. There was another row of cells behind the wall. Looking inside, he saw a knight splayed out on a pile of rubble. They looked like the same knight that had thrown the corpse down into his cell, but how did they get in here? Hydraxus approached slowly. Suddenly, he ran to the knight and dropped to his knees. He had noticed the crest on the knights shield and on their armor. The crest of Astora. The knight turned his head and said, in a strained voice,

“Oh...You’re no Hollow.”

Hydraxus was horrified. He knew this knight. He was Oscar of Astora. Him and Oscar had fought together. Even though Hydraxus was only a lowly warrior, they had taken a liking to each other. Hydraxus responded, his voice cracking.

“Oscar? Is that you?”

Oscar shifted, as if trying to back away from him. 

“Hydraxus? You’re still sane?”

“Barely. What are you doing here?”

“I came of my own accord. I’m Undead now. Only a matter of time until my captain noticed that I was still alive after a skirmish with some rouge Balders. I was confirmed dead, but I woke up at home a few minutes later. I had to run. You know what they do to Undead. You’ve experienced it.”

Hydraxus was still in shock that Oscar was here. He was part of the Elite Knights of Astora, and he was at the Undead Asylum, the last place he should be. He noticed that Oscar was breathing heavily. 

‘Oscar, what happened? You’re hurt. What injured you?”

“I came looking for you. I threw that Hollow down into your cell to see if there was anything in it. I didn’t know it was you in there. I didn't think you would of looked as Hollow as you do. I was searching for another way in when something hit me through the roof.”

“The Asylum Demon. It must have been.”

Oscar coughed, his voice becoming thinner.

“I'm done for, I'm afraid. I have some things I want to..”

Oscar stopped mid-sentence. In fact, all the sounds of the asylum had stopped. Hydraxus looked behind him. A black fog had started to creep into the room. It collected into the shape of a human. Ren’s voice came from all around him.

How much longer to you plan to talk to this man? He’s a perfect host, so hurry up so I can possess him.

“I will. But I need to ask you something. When you possess him, will his personality change? 

No. Why do you ask?

“And what will happen to his state of mind? Will you speak to him like you have spoken to me?”

He will stay sane, but I will be able to directly control him whenever I want.

Hydraxus thought quickly before Ren became any more impatient.

“I have made a decision. You do not have to vacate my head, but instead, you will heal Oscar.”

Ren was quite for a moment. Then, will a voice that sounded almost happy, he said,

Of course! I was more comfortable here, in the mind of the pygmies descendant. Our original deal stays the same, but I will not leave your head. Instead, I will heal this Oscar.

The black mist began to coil around Oscar, entering his helmet and snaking in between the chinks in his armor. And, just as suddenly as the mist had appeared, it dissipated. The sounds of the asylum returned. Oscar continued his sentence.  
“...give you. Why are you looking at me like that? Why do I feel...energized?”

Hydraxus tried his best to look puzzled, and held his hand out to Oscar, who cautiously took it. Oscar stood, and turned to Hydraxus. 

“I was just on the brink of death, yet now I feel perfectly normal. What happened?”

Hydraxus smiled, and placed his hand on Oscar’s shoulder.

“I do not know, but I’m glad you’re feeling good. What was it you were going to tell me?”

Oscar began to loosen the straps on his helm. When he took it off, Hydraxus stepped back slightly. Oscar had always had a mop of black hair, but now it had begun to turn gray. Streaks of silver ran throughout his hair. His complexion had begun to turn pale, a far cry from his normal tan skin tone. His eyes were sunken and bloodshot. The only aspect that had stayed the same was his permanent expression of bitterness. He had seen so many of his comrades fall, including Hydraxus, that he wore a permanent scowl. His eyes always darted around the room, keeping watch for a threat. 

“I was telling you about a old saying in my family. ‘Thou who art Undead art chosen. In thine exodus from the Undead Asylum, maketh pilgrimage to the land of Ancient Lords. When thou ringeth the Bell of Awakening, the fate of the Undead thou shalt know.’. You have escaped your cell, and fought your way through the asylum. I believe that you are destined to flee this place and go to Lordran.”

Hydraxus thought for a moment. Ren had mentioned a prophecy. Perhaps the two were related? 

“Come with me.”

Oscar looked at Hydraxus with a expression he didn’t wear often: surprise. He obviously hadn’t been expecting Hydraxus’s offer.

“Why? ‘Tis you who is the Chosen Undead, not me.”

“Because you’re a valuable companion. You’re a Elite Knight, the best Astora has to offer. I would be honored if you accepted my proposal.”

Oscar thought for awhile, before placing his helm back on his head and thrusting his hand out.

‘I accept your offer. I shall accompany you through your quest.”

Hydraxus shook Oscars hand and the two of them began to exit the room before Oscar stopped him.

“You look tired. Here, have some Estus.”

Hydraxus gave Oscar a puzzled look. 

“What is Estus?”

Oscar laughed. He reached into one of the leather pouches around his waist and pulled out a flask filled with bright orange liquid.

“This is a Estus Flask. It contains a liquid called...well, Estus. Estus is used for healing. You can collect Estus from bonfires with these flasks. Here, take some. Just drink a small portion of the liquid. Drinking too much just wastes it.”

Hydraxus took the flask and cautiously drank about a fifth of the Estus inside. Immediately, he felt better, just like when he rested at a bonfire. The Estus was pleasantly warm in his stomach. Handing the flask back to Oscar, they continued on, climbing the stairs leading upwards. As they approached the landing at the top of the stairs, Hydraxus heard the familiar grone of a Hollow. He lifted his shield and ran ahead of Oscar. Hydraxus had barely made it to the top when a sword clanged off his shield. He stepped back in surprise from the quick attack by the Hollow, but regained his stance and drew his sword. The Hollow came at him again, but now Hydraxus was ready. As the Hollow began to bring it's sword down, Hydraxus swung his shield, meeting the blade halfway. The Hollows arm was flung backwards, the creature put off balance by the force of the parry. Hydraxus took advantage of the moment of weakness, and stabbed his sword through the Hollows gut. He withdrew his sword from the Hollows stomach, blood spurting out as the Hollow fell backwards. The light in the Hollow’s eyes faded as Oscar reached the top of the stairs, his shield raised and sword drawn. Noticing that the Hollow had been dispatched, he sheathed his sword. Oscar was silent for awhile. Hydraxus wiped the blood off of his blade on the Hollows neglected clothing and put it back into its sheath. 

“You’re as brutal as ever, I see.”, Oscar said.

“That’s not even close to my definition of brutal.”

“Well I would hate to see what you think is brutal.”

Hydraxus laughed. Oscar had charged into battle countless times, yet a simple disembowelment was brutal to him.

“Come, let us continue on.”

Hydraxus moved to the door on the other side of the landing. He tugged on the handle, but the door was locked. Hydraxus dug around in the leather pouch at his waist, eventually pulling out the Master Key. He grabbed a key that was about the same size as the keyhole on the door and inserted it into the lock. He heard a soft click, and the door swung open. The hallway on the other side was cramped, barely tall enough for Hydraxus to stand up. Oscar followed him down the hallway and onto a terrace. The feel of the wind on Hydraxus face was incredible. Mountains stretched off into the horizon, a light dusting of snow developing the peaks. He began to walk to the edge of the terrace, but stopped when he heard more Hollows. He turned towards the sound, only to see two Hollows rushing to him, broken swords drawn, from another terrace that connected to the one that Oscar and himself were on. Hydraxus could see another Hollow standing far back from him. It had a bow in its hands, and was nocking an arrow. He raised his shield, and heard Oscar draw his weapon, the sword producing a metallic hiss as it was pulled from its scabbard. Hydraxus rolled backwards as the Hollows swung clumsily. He drew his own blade, but Oscar was already charging in. He blocked a arrow and cut deep into one of the Hollows midriff. The blessing on the blade didn’t do much, but it was plenty sharp. He kicked the Hollow in the chest, and it stumbled back, right into Hydraxus waiting blade. Another arrow bounced off of Oscar’s pauldron, causing him to turn long enough for the other Hollow to sink it's blade into his left arm, finding the gap between his plates. Oscar cried out in pain, dropping his shield and turning to face the Hollow. While Oscar fought, Hydraxus sprinted to the Hollow with the bow. He dodged another arrow, and slashed at the Hollows neck. The decapitated head fell off of the balcony, the body crumpling into a pool of its own blood. Hydraxus went back to Oscar. He had taken care of the Hollow, and sat up against the wall. He had removed his helm and was nursing the wound on his arm. He had not pulled out the sword yet, as to stem the flow of blood that was steadily running out of his arm.

“You’re going to have to pull that out, you know.”, Hydraxus said. “I’ll do it for you if you want.”

“I can take care of myself, but thank you.”

Oscar took a deep breath and grasped the handle of the sword. He pulled it out with a swift motion, grimacing as blood began to pour out of the wound. He fumbled around for the Estus Flask hanging at his belt, but his hand dropped as his head began to sway.

“Hydraxus….Estus…..please.” 

Hydraxus grabbed the flask off of Oscars belt and poured the rest of the Estus down Oscars throat. Instantly, the blood stopped flowing and the wound began to close. After a few seconds, all that was left was a scar. 

“Thank you Hydraxus. But something isn’t right. I am wearing mail, but the blade cut straight through it. How could a creature like that have enough strength to cut through iron? And the edge of this sword is dull, yet it caused bleed similar to the eastern Uchigatana.”

Hydraxus spoke to Ren in his mind rather than out loud, as to not make Oscar believe that he was Hollowing.

“Ren, I know you’re behind this. We had a agreement.”

“You said that I was not to possess him. Nothing was said about not harming or killing him. His heart is pure. He will try and stop you. He must be killed. If you will not do it, I will.”

“You will do no such thing! I wish I had never agreed to finish what my ancestor started.”

Hydraxus shut Ren out and focused on Oscar, who was still a bit dizzy from the loss of so much blood. 

“Can you stand? We must continue on.”

Oscar mumbled something, than promptly passed out. He awoke a few seconds later. His eyes snapped open and said,

“When is the right time?”

He looked around, and realizing that he had picked his sword up and pointed it at Hydraxus, lowered his arm and began to silently put his helm back on. He was deathly pale, and his hands shook as he lowered his helm onto his head. Hydraxus offered his hand to Oscar, but Oscar refused to take it. He stood up and grabbed his shield. Without a word, Oscar walked to where the Hollow with the bow had been. There was a large archway to the left, shrouded in fog. Hydraxus turned to Oscar.

“Shall we?”

“Hollows first.”

“Fine, I’ll go first, if you’re that afraid.”

Hydraxus, ignoring the insults from Oscar, stepped through the fog. Oscar followed close behind. He emerged on a small balcony. He looked down, and saw the Asylum Demon staring back up at him. Hydraxus looked at Oscar, and Oscar nodded, understanding what Hydraxus wanted to do without having to speak. The two men drew their swords, gripping the hilts with both hands. Together, they jumped off of the balcony, swords raised as they fell. Oscar landed on the head, Hydraxus on the right shoulder. They used their weight and momentum to drive their weapons deep into the demons flesh. Oscar’s blade made a loud CRACK as it cleaved the skull in two. They jumped off of the beast as it collapsed, dissolving into light. A small orb of the light flew to Hydraxus, another to Oscar. It enveloped them, and Hydraxus felt something in his chest. There had always been empty sort of feeling every since he woke up in the Asylum. Like something was missing. But now the emptiness was full. Filled with the essence of the Asylum Demon. Oscar had obviously experienced a similar sensation, as his shoulders relaxed and his sword arm dropped to his side. All that remained of the Asylum Demon was a ridiculously large key, a foul stench, and a small black object that resembled black fire. Ren spoke, although Hydraxus could hear the distaste in his voice, still sour over their last conversation.

“Being Undead allows you to absorb the souls of your foes. You can use them to improve your own abilities, or to buy items in Lordran, where souls are used as the basic currency. That black object is Humanity. Use it to revert to your non-hollowed appearance at bonfires. You can guess what the key is for.”

Hydraxus picked up the Humanity and they large key. The Humanity felt warm, almost moist. He placed it in one of the compartments on his belt and moved to the black doors he had seen earlier. Hydraxus hefted the key up to the keyhole, shoved it in, and turned it until a loud click was produced. Hydraxus places his hands on the doors and pushed. The doors swung open with relative ease, and he let the wind lick his face again. The area in front of him was grey and devoid of life, besides the gnarled grass beneath his feet. Ruins were scattered about, some resembling buildings yet, some just piles of brick. Hydraxus and Oscar began up the path. The path ended abruptly at a cliff edge. A spear of earth jutted out from the mainland, ending with a straight drop into oblivion. As Hydraxus and Oscar tried to figure out how to leave the asylum, a ear-splitting screech filled the air. Suddenly, a massive crow shot up from under the cliff and grabbed both Oscar and Hydraxus in its talons. The size of the bird was mesmerizing. It's eyes were bigger than Hydraxus head, and it’s wings stretched out to a unimaginable length. Just as quickly as the crow had grabbed them, they were in the air. The wind whistled in Hydraxus ears, and it made music in the slits of Oscar’s visor. 

“If the gods are listening, please don’t let us become food for this monster!”

Hydraxus words were ripped from his mouth by the wind as soon as he had spoken. The crow turned east, and Oscar made a attempt to grab his sword, but his arms were pinned to his sides by the birds talons. Oscar shouted to Hydraxus, but he could only make out bits and pieces of what Oscar was saying.

“....wait….where….hopefully….food….comfortable!”

Hydraxus could only assume that Oscar had told him that they would have to wait to see where the raven took them, that they hopefully wouldn't become food, and that he should try and get comfortable. He squirmed in the ravens foot, trying to get into a position so that the talons wouldn't poke him as much. He finally got into a fetal position, his back against the talons. It was surprisingly comfortable. With his helm covering his ears, the sounds of the wind were reduced to that of a strong breeze. Hydraxus didn’t realize how tired he was, and eventually began to drift off. The last thing he could remember before slipping away was the feathers of the raven rustling slightly in the wind. Then he closed his eyes and drifted off. In his dreams, he saw Oscar, blood covering his armor, asking Hydraxus to use “it”.


	3. The Cleansing Bloodbath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hydraxus reminisces his old life, and almost has his new life destroyed.

Hydraxus woke to another of the crows shrieks. He shifted around to see a massive wall surrounding a network of roads and buildings below him. A aqueduct ran from the wall into the side of on of the surrounding mountains. The sun shone brightly, making Hydraxus squint. The sky was clear and blue, a welcome change from the bleak grey of the Undead Asylum.

The crow began to descend. It was headed to a large ruin outside of the wall. The ruins were reminiscent of a shrine or chapel. Hydraxus looked over at Oscar. He was looking down at the ground, scanning for threats, no doubt. 

The crow dropped them in a small amphitheater. A bonfire was burning merrily in the center, it's flames reaching the hilt of the sword. As soon as Oscar hit the ground, he drew his sword and turned to his right. Hydraxus looked over to where Oscar was facing.

A man in full chainmail sat on a heater-style shield and longsword exactly like his own. The warrior had a dejected look on his face, and didn’t even look over at the two armed men that had just dropped from the talons of a massive crow, as if that was a daily occurence. His face was human, no signs of Hollowing anywhere. Hydraxus approached him, and the warrior finally noticed him. In a extremely sarcastic tone, he said,

“Well, what do we have here? You must be a new arrival. Let me guess, Fate of the Undead, right? Well, you’re not the first. But there’s no salvation here. You’d have done better to rot in the Undead Asylum...But, too late now.”

The man looked up at Hydraxus, a amused look on his face.

“Well, since you’re here...Let me help you out. There are actually two Bells of Awakening. One’s up above, in the Undead Church. The other is far, far below, in the ruins at the base of Blighttown. Ring them both, and something happens...Brilliant, right? Not much to go on, but I have a feeling that won’t stop you. So, off you go. That is why you came, isn’t it? To this accursed land of the Undead?”

He finished his statement with a half-hearted chuckle. Hydraxus turned, almost running into Oscar, who still had his sword drawn. 

“He’s not a threat, far from it. He gave me some more information on our quest. Let’s rest at the bonfire whilst I tell you.”

Before Oscar sat down, he grabbed his Estus Flask and held it above the flames. The flask began to fill with Estus, the orange liquid bubbling. 

“Look in the largest compartment on your belt.”

Hydraxus did, and pulled out another Estus Flask. He mimicked Oscar, holding the bottle above the flames. 

Once the flask was filled, he opened one of the compartments on his belt to get some twine to tie the flask to his belt. 

Instead, he saw the Humanity that he had taken from the Asylum Demon. He retrieved it, and held it in his open palm. 

The black sprite acted like a tongue of fire, shivering and moving about on his hand. 

Hydraxus remembered what Ren had said. He raised his arm and crushed the Humanity in his palm. The sprite disappeared, but Hydraxus didn’t feel any different. 

“Offer the Humanity at the bonfire. Just imagine giving the sprite back to the bonfire.”

Hydraxus, following Rens instructions, knelt next to the bonfire. He thrust his hand out and bowed his head. A cloud of sparks appeared around him.

As they floated away, Hydraxus flopped down and sighed. Ren had tricked him. He felt no different. He sat up and looked at Oscar, who was silent.

After a few moments, Oscar took off his helm. His skin had become white, almost grey, as if he was decaying. He looked at Hydraxus once more.

“Your skin! It looks perfectly healthy! You have eyes again!”

Hydraxus touched his face. The skin was soft and elastic, a far cry from the crusty and wrinkled texture he had grown so accustomed to. 

He took off one of his leather gauntlets. His hand, whilst covered in calluses from weilding a sword for his entire life, was now a soft pink. 

But Hydraxus still felt like he had before. Empty, devoid of what makes humans human. 

Just the memory of when he was alive brought so many emotions forward. Hydraxus wanted some time by himself, to sort out his thoughts. 

“I want to go and explore a bit. On my own, preferably.”

Oscar looked at him.

“Fine. I will stay here.But don’t be surprised if I go and explore a bit as well. You know I hate to sit still.”

Hydraxus laughed. Oscar had never been able to stop fidgeting. Even during strategy meetings, he would tap on his plates, annoying everyone. 

“I would expect no less from you. Meet me back here when the sun is at its highest. Stay safe.”

Hydraxus began to wander around the shrine. Aside from the crestfallen warrior, there was a body slumped over the edge of a crumbling well. A white orb hovered above it’s torso. Hydraxus rummaged through the pouches on it’s belt and found three more Humanity. He pocketed them and continued on.

Three archways led away from the bonfire. Hydraxus entered into the center doorway. He turned left to see another man. 

The man wore a armor set usually worn by clerics. He had a basic knight shield in his left hand and a Morning Star in his right. Hydraxus approached him cautiously.

The man didn’t look Hollow, but Hydraxus was careful nonetheless. The man eyed Hydraxus before speaking. His accent was distinctly smooth and flowery, as if he was speaking to a noble.

“Hello there. I believe we are not acquainted? I am Petrus of Thorolund. Have you business with us? If not, I’d prefer to keep a distance, if possible.”

Hydraxus laughed. Petrus spoke like he was a peasant talking to a lord. 

“You don’t even know me, yet you request that I leave you alone. Why would a cleric, I assume that is what you are, be so secretive and solitary?”

“I realize that I have requested that we retain our distance, but I also want you to know that it is not meant in ill-will. Here, take this. As a token of peace.”

Petus had a small copper coin in his hand. It was the currency of Thorolund, so Hydraxus had no use for it. He looked at Petrus with confusion.

“I have no use for Thorolund currency.”

“How about this...I have to await my companions here anyway, so, what if I were to teach you some miracles? Would that please you?”

Hydraxus thought for a moment. Miracles were very useful, and his offer was tempting.

“Yes, that would be nice.”

“Very well. Then first, a covenant with the Gods.”

“I am already part of the Way of the White. Is there another covenant I must join?”

“No, that’s fine. Now, let me share my miracles. Only, their ultimate effectiveness will be determined by your efforts, and your faith”

Petrus produced five scrolls seemingly from thin air. Hydraxus looked through them. 

Petrus was selling Heal, (which Hydraxus assumed did exactly what the name suggested), something called Great Heal Excerpt, Seek Guidance (Ren had that job down, although he had his own intentions), Force, and Homeward. 

Petrus also had two talismans. One looked like a normal talisman that Astoran clerics used, and the other was a orange color. It was ratty and looked like it had been drug through mud. 

Petrus said that it was a Thorolund talisman, and that despite its appearance, it was quite powerful. Hydraxus looked over the items again before making a decision.

“I’ll take Heal and the Thorolund talisman.”

“Excellent choice. Although, I won’t teach you the miracle for free. And I’m not going to just give you the talisman. Let’s say...4,000 souls to teach you Heal, and 5,000 souls for the talisman.”

“You don’t have nearly enough to purchase those. You have roughly 1,100 souls at the moment.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have that many souls.”

Petrus frowned. He put his scrolls and the talismans away, grumbling and shooting Hydraxus a dirty look. For a cleric, Petrus was very strange.

Hydraxus left Petrus without a word. A staircase to the right of where Petrus stood went into the upper levels of the shrine. 

Hydraxus began to scale the steps with caution, as he didn’t know what awaited him at the top of the shrine.

As he stepped out onto the landing, Hydraxus took off his helm and let the sun bathe his face. His flesh had become more sensitive after he had transformed from his Hollowed appearance. The rays of light warmed his skin, drawing a contented sigh from his mouth.

Opening his eyes and putting his helm back on, Hydraxus noticed two doorways that stood next to each other. 

Further investigation revealed that the doorways lead to the same place: a shaft that stretched up seemingly forever. But when Hydraxus looked down, he saw light illuminating a fairly small drop.

Hydraxus jumped off of the edge and landed on the bottom of the shaft with a dull thud, small vibrations running up his ankles. The light came from a cramped hallway leading outside. 

Hydraxus had to turn his body sideways to fit in the hallway comfortably. The passage ended with a fairly high drop into a clearing, parts of the ruins and the mountain the ruins were built upon surrounding it, with several chests positioned around the edge.

Hydraxus jumped and rolled to disperse the force of him hitting the ground. He stood, and walked over to one of the chests. There was no lock, so he hefted the lid open and looked inside.

Six bones were spread out over the bottom of the chest. Hydraxus began to close the chest when Ren spoke.

“Wait! Do not close the chest! Those bones are not normal. They have been enchanted to transport the user to the last bonfire they had rested at. Those bones will be useful.”

Hydraxus had learned by this point that Ren knew what he was talking about, so he grabbed all six bones. He opened the pouch on his waist and realized that he had no more room in it. 

“Look behind the chest. Something is there that will solve your storage problem”

Hydraxus did as he was told. Behind the chest, a wooden box was sitting, lid open. Hydraxus grabbed it and looked inside.

The box was impossibly deep. Hydraxus stuck his entire arm into the box and still could not reach the bottom, yet the box appeared to be only two knuckles deep. 

“This is a bottomless box. You will be able to fit anything inside of it to no limit. Even your shield.”

“I doubt that. This box is only as wide as my hand. How could I fit my shield inside of it?”

“Then see for yourself. Put your shield in the box.”

Hydraxus smirked. There was no way that he would fit his shield in the box. Placing the box on the ground, he took his shield off of his arm and began to put in into the box.

To his amazement, the shield simply dropped into the box. He looked inside, and his shield was gone.

“How am I supposed to get my shield back?”

“Simply reach into the box and grab it.”

Hydraxus did, and pulled his shield back out.

He thanked Ren and went through his pouch, putting everything that he wasn’t going to use in the near future inside of the box. He closed the lid and placed in into the pouch. The box had almost no weight to it, even after putting almost all of his possessions inside it.

Hydraxus moved on to one of the other chests. Throwing open the lid, he found a Morning Star that matched the one Petrus carried and a talisman, like the one Petrus was selling. 

Hydraxus pulled out the box and put the talisman inside. He tested one of the spikes on the Morning Star. It was extremely sharp, and pierced the leather of his gauntlet. It was heavy at the head, as it should have been. 

Hydraxus decided that he would use the Morning Star instead of his longsword. He kept his scabbard on his waist, however. It couldn’t hurt to keep another weapon on him as a backup.

But now, Hydraxus felt very heavy. The combined weight of his armor and the weapons he was carrying turned his once light footfalls into heavy stomps. He attempted to roll. 

He pushed his body forward and into a roll, but he traveled only a small distance. His back slammed into the ground, almost knocking the wind out of him. 

He stood shakilly, breathing heavily. Never had something as basic as performing a evasive roll made him exert himself like that. Though, he never had carried two weapons on him at the same time with all his armor on.

Hydraxus took out his box and pondered which weapon to put away. The Morning Star would no doubt be a better weapon, with the spikes being capable to cause heavy bleeding, but with almost all of the weight being towards the head of the weapon, one missed swing could leave him open. He was more familiar with the sword, and it was more versatile then the Morning Star. But the blade would be less effective against heavy armor.

Hydraxus went with his sword, favoring versatility and weight over the damage of the Morning Star. He put the spiked mace into the box, and went over to the third chest. 

Inside, he found six cracked red orbs. Each had a eye on the surface, unblinking and unmoving.

Fighting down his disgust, he put them into his box. He also found four Lloyd’s Talismans. They were used by the clerics of All-Father Lloyd to hunt Undead.

He had been chased around the streets of the Astoran capital by three clerics weilding the talismans before being captured. 

They had thrown talismans similar to the ones Hydraxus had just found at him, white clouds of holy magic billowing out from them when they hit the ground behind him. He didn’t know what they did, but he grabbed the talismans anyway. 

Hydraxus chided himself. Any time he thought of Astora, he felt like curling up into a ball and waiting to become Hollow. The fact that he would never be able to return to his homeland weighed heavily on him. 

Memories of rich fields of barley, the sun causing the castle in the center of the city to glow a radiant gold color, the staccato beat of the local ferrier hammering out new horseshoes. Children running through the streets, oblivious to the fact that the armies of Caterina were marching towards the city. 

Hydraxus wished he could be so innocent, to have no worries beside when his mother would call him away from his friends so he could eat. But his youth had been spent helping the blacksmith that raised him. He had no complaints about working, but he would yearn for friends to play with.

And then, his thoughts shifted to those of the blacksmith. His name was Andre. He had taken care of Hydraxus until he had lived through his sixteenth winter, when the ties with Caterina dissolved completely, and war broke out.

He had willingly joined the Astoran army, much to the displeasure of Andre. He needed help in the forge, as he had so many requests for new swords, shields, and armor pieces because of the war. But Hydraxus decided that he would be more useful in combat then in the forge. 

And so, he went off to fight. One evening, during his firewatch shift, a messenger rode into the camp, and delivered a message to his commander. Within five minutes, the commander had roused the entire camp. 

They were briefed that the Balders had been playing both sides of the conflict, and decided to place their full allegiance to Caterina. They had snuck into the Astoran capital and set it ablaze. 

The king and queen were able to escape, but the damage was done. The mighty city had been reduced to ash and blackened stone.

And so, they marched to the capital. They encountered a group of mercenaries working for Caterina along the way, and Hydraxus had been slain. 

Once he woke up as Undead, he stole a horse and rode hard to the ruined city. Ignoring the piles of bodies, he looked for Andre. But he was nowhere.

And then, he saw his body. It was being removed from under a collapsed cart, heater shield and mace still grasped in his hands.

Suddenly, Andre had sprung up, shouting about traitors and scum. He looked around, realizing that the city was destroyed. His sorrow was cut short as he was tackled by two soldiers, as he was now Undead.

But years working in the forge had given the blacksmith amazing strength, and Andre shook off the soldiers easily. He saw Hydraxus standing off to the side, and ran over to him, pulling him into a hug.

“Hydraxus...wh..what are you doing here?!”

Andre pulled back from the hug, and realized that Hydraxus skin was turning grey.

“No....no please….by the gods...you’re Undead, aren’t you?”

Hydraxus had begun to shake. His surrogate father had died. Hydraxus could of saved him, if only he had stayed with him instead of running off to the army.

“Yes...I’m sorry….”

But, before Andre could respond, he was ripped away by the soldiers. He shook them off again, and with a sorrowful look, he said 

“I’m sorry too.”

Then Andre ran. He jumped onto the horse that Hydraxus had rode in on and kicked it’s sides. He rode away from the city, and out of sight.

Hydraxus was lamenting his fate when he heard the clash of metal. He jumped up, shoved the box into the pouch on his waist, and drew his sword and shield. He ran towards the source of the noise.

A small gap between the mountain and a pillar was just wide enough for Hydraxus to squeeze through. When he emerged from the gap, he was on a cliff overlooking a graveyard. Small white orbs were sprinkled throughout the headstones. But Hydraxus had trained his eyes on a man in full plate armor.

Oscar had his shield up, and was backing up the stairs that lead into the cemetery. Slowly, two skeletons were advancing on him, both wielding scimitars.

One of them lept towards Oscar, blade coming down with inhuman force and speed. Oscar deflected the blow off of his shield, but the force from the strike sent him off the edge of the stairs. It wasn’t a far drop, but as soon as he hit the ground, two more skeletons began to from behind him, bones knitting together with audible clicks.

Oscar put his back against a headstone, as to not expose his back to punishment. Three of the four skeletons jumped forward, each hitting Oscars shield with the same force as the first skeleton. This time, Oscar’s shield arm dropped, weak from absorbing so many powerful blows.

The last skeleton jumped towards him, bringing down it’s scimitar down across Oscar’s chest. The blue fabric was torn open, and the plates underneath were creasedfrom the impact.

What Hydraxus saw next could only be described as horrifying. The blow to his chest had made Oscar fall to his knees. The skeletons began to savagely beat Oscar. His helmet was crushed and the blue cloth was torn to shreds.

Finally, Oscar let loose a cry of pain that made Hydraxus shiver. Oscar’s body went limp, and he fell forward, face in the dirt.

The skeletons walked back to where they had formed and disassembled, bones rolling in all directions.

Oscar’s body has disappeared, and a bloodstain with a mass of green sparks lay where his corpse once had.

Hydraxus, throwing caution to the wind, threw himself over the edge of the cliff, making contact with the ground with the sounds of bones crunching. It felt as if hot rods of metal were being shoved up his legs, but Hydraxus limped over to Oscars bloodstain. 

His instincts took over, and he knelt down and touched the blood of his companion. Immediately, the sparks disappeared, and Hydraxus felt the souls that Oscar had been carrying be absorbed into the mass of souls he already had in his possession. 

The clacking of bone made Hydraxus turn his head. A skeleton had formed again, and one more was beginning to stir. 

The skeleton advanced with the same slow pace as it had before, White light dancing in it’s eye sockets. 

Hydraxus struggled to his feet. Behind him, he heard the other two skeletons begin to knit together. Hydraxus knew that there was only one way he could possibly get out of the situation he was currently in.

“Ren?”

“I already know what you want to do.”

The bloodlust hit, and Hydraxus mind went blank and his vision was tinted red as he lept towards the closest skeleton.

He crushed its skull with the pommel of his sword, bone shards flying in every direction. Another skeleton charged at him, but Hydraxus ducked, letting the swing from the skeleton slash air. He sliced the spine of the skeleton in half, raising his shield as the two other skeletons advanced. 

One crouched down, and sprung forward in a roll, coming up right in from of Hydraxus. He wasted no time bashing in it's skull.

The last skeleton had managed to get within reach, and brought it's blade down, ripping through his armor. Hydraxus staggered, and the skeleton followed up by slamming it’s shield into Hydraxus face. He managed to dodge another swing, but his rage was fading, replaced by searing pain in his chest and face. With a final swing of his sword, he cleaved the spine of the skeleton. 

He staggered up the stairs into a room that appeared to be a church. The floor was filled with water. Hydraxus stumbled to the exit, blood now running steadily out of the wound on his chest. 

He remembered the Estus flask that Oscar had given him, but he had left it by the bonfire. He had been distracted by the Humanity to tie the flask to his belt.

He continued on, his vision beginning to tunnel. He exited the room, and saw the bonfire. But, as he took a step towards it, he blacked out, the heavy blood loss catching up to him. 

He awoke next to the bonfire. Oscar was staring at him, which made him a bit uncomfortable. But his discomfort turned to horror when Oscar took off his helm (which he seemed to be doing much more often than usual). His skin had begun to wrinkle and he had a hint of rust color creeping into his complexion. 

“Oscar….what happened to you?”

“I was bested by 4 skeletons, and didn’t even put up a fight…”

Hydraxus sat up. His back was stiff from the lack of movement, cracking and popping as he shifted to a sitting position.

“Do not say that! If you keep that up, you’ll go Hollow!”

Oscar chuckled.

“Fear not. It takes a bit more than that to completely discourage me. But please, stay safe.”

Hydraxus, still worried about Oscar, decided not to tell him that he witnessed his death at the hands of the skeletons. 

“I encountered some skeletons in the graveyard as well. They nearly killed me. Did you find anything of interest on your search?”

“Nothing other than the graveyard. How about you?”

“I found a very peculiar box. It can fit anything inside of it, despite it being very small.”

Hydraxus pulled out his box and showed it to Oscar, who scoffed.

“Ha! That box is barely large enough to fit your hand! How can it hold anything?”

Hydraxus didn’t respond, only placing the box on the ground, taking his shield off his back, and putting it into the box, much to the surprise of Oscar. He pulled it back out, closed the box, and put it away, noticing that Oscar was noticeably quiet. 

“Well, we better figure out where to go next. Perhaps the man in the chain can help us?”

Hydraxus walked over to the crestfallen warrior, who looked up and immediately shifted backwards from Hydraxus.

“Oh! Your face! You’re practically Hollow!”

Hydraxus didn’t know why, but the way the crestfallen warrior had spoken ignited intense ire deep inside of him. Hydraxus fought down a snarl as he spoke.

“Look, I have no intentions of hurting you. My companion and I just need directions to..”

But the warrior cut him off. The man abruptly stood, picking up his shield and sword.

“Oh, that's all we need...another inquisitive soul. I’m going to find somewhere that I can ponder my fate in peace.”

The man started to walk away, but Hydraxus grabbed his shoulder.

“Look, we’re just asking for directions. You don’t have to be rude.”

The man spun around and slammed his shield into Hydraxus chest, sending him stumbling backwards.

“I'm not in the mood for chatting. Leave me alone!”

The warrior looked at Oscar, who had one hand on his sword, waiting to see what the warrior would do next.

“What are you looking at? Don’t try anything clever. You might regret it.”

That made Oscars blood boil. He never stepped down from a challenge. Turning to Hydraxus, he silently asked him to not interfere. Oscar turned back to the crestfallen warrior.

“Is that a threat?”

The man smiled benevolently.

“Only if you perceive it as such.”

Immediately, Oscar charged, blind rage taking away every inhibition he had. The warrior lifted his shield, blocking Oscars sword with ease. He dodged another swing and shouted at Oscar, backpedaling to create distance.

“Lousy rat! You have some nerve! I may be crestfallen, but I’m not defenseless, you rascal! You will soon regret this!”

Oscar charged again, but now the crestfallen warrior was ready. The flash of blue and white followed by the sudden halt of Oscar’s body indicated that the warrior had parried Oscars swing.

As Oscar tried to recover, the warrior plunged his longsword into Oscars stomach, peircing the flech and armor on his back. 

Oscar fell, fading from existence once more. The warrior sheathed his sword, and taunted Oscar as he phased out.

“Now, that's just embarrassing. How’d you let me do that to you?”

It was at that moment that the last string holding back his fury snapped. Hydraxus roared, a unintelligible bellow of a insane man.

The madness of before did not compare to what Hydraxus felt now. It was as if he had only been scratching the surface of his insanity. Every single ounce of control he had was forcefully taken from him, and replaced by one goal: kill everything.

He didn’t even draw his sword, instead opting to charge the warrior with bare fists. The man was too surprised to even react, and Hydraxus tackled him. 

He began to bludgeon the warrior relentlessly. Hydraxus wasn’t sure who’s screams he was hearing, the warriors or his own, but he could feel the bones in the warriors face breaking, and he could see the blood spattering his armor.

Hydraxus finally drew his sword and proceedced to gouge the man’s eyes out. Once his eyes were reduced to dark red pools of blood, Hydraxus moved on to his chest. 

He took out his box and grabbed the Morning Star. He raised the spiked mace over his head and brought it down on the warriors chest. 

Hydraxus heard bones break, but he also heard a voice that was not his own, nor did it belong to the warrior. Ren’s voice came from Hydraxus mouth.

“You will be the first of many men and women slain by the Dark Lord! He will destroy Gwyn’s infernal Age of Fire, and complete the work of the Lord of Men!”

The warrior was now silent, his face had been reduced to a bloody mess and his chest had been caved in. Hydraxus began to stand, but a voice from across the amphitheater made him freeze.

“What in the name of the gods have you done!?!?”

Petrus stood in one of the crumbling archways, weapon drawn. He looked at Hydraxus, and then at the crestfallen warrior, and back to Hydraxus. 

Hydraxus stood, and Ren’s voice issued from his lips.

“Petrus. You of all people questioning what has happened here? We both know you have darkness in your heart.’ 

“Rhea is pampered, never having to do anything for herself. And now she only complains about her quest. You know you want to kill her, to rid this land of another useless noble. Walk away Petrus, or face the wrath of the Abyss.”

Emphasizing his words, Hydraxus...no...no, Ren. Ren was in control now. Ren swung the Morning Star down, shattering the crestfallen warrior skull. 

Pertus flinched at the display, but did not back down. He raised his shield and advanced on Ren. 

“What you say is true. Rhea would be better off dead, but I have my mission. I will not let you interfere with our quest. Enough of you! Feel the wrath of the gods!”

With that, he charged. Ren chuckled, easily dodging Pertus’s swings.

“You fool. You could of been a great servant to the Dark Lord. Now, feel the power of the Abyss!”

Ren sidestepped another of Petrus’s swings and slammed the Morning Star into his head. 

Petrus’s skull caved, the snap of bone and squish of innards being crushed filling his ears. Petrus fell, unmoving, to the ground. 

Ren swung the spiked mace once more, reducing Petrus’s head to a bloody pulp.

Blood now covered Hydraxus armor, and parts of his skin that were uncovered were now bathed in it.

A rush of sound made him spin towards the bonfire. Oscar sat next to the bonfire, but not a second after appearing, he was on his feet and drawing his sword. 

Ren still had control, and he spoke, his voice venomous.

“And so we turn to you, Oscar. You are a Elite Knight, yet you have done nothing on this expedition except endanger your own life.

“The Hollow at the Asylum, the skeletons in the graveyard, and now the little tussle you got yourself into with the warrior. All you’ve done is slow Hydraxus down. You should just stay here. Go Hollow. And stop WASTING MY TIME!!”

“Hydraxus….what happened to your voice? What..”

His voice trailed off as he noticed the crestfallen warrior and Petrus, both having been slain in a similar manner. 

“What...what have you done Hydraxus?!?”

“HYDRAXUS IS GONE!!! I am Ren, servant to the Abyss.

“Your little scuffle with the warrior made his mind vulnerable enough for me to take control. He is nothing. Now, if you don’t mind, put your sword away and begone!”

When Oscar didn’t move, Ren chuckled. 

‘’Such a foolish mortal...”

“I am no fool! I am Oscar of Astora! And you will not take my friend from me!”

Oscar had barely finished when the first strike from Ren connected. The spikes of the Morning Star did not penetrate Oscars pauldron, but the metal caved at the point of impact. Oscar rolled away and removed his shield from his back.

Another blow clanged off the shield, making Oscars arm tingle from the impact. Ren swung again, but Oscar had predicted it.

He parried the Morning Star, causing Ren to stumble backwards. Oscar wasted no time ramming his sword through Rens gut. 

But, unlike any normal person, Ren still stood upright, Oscars sword firmly buried in his stomach. When Oscar attempted to remove it, the sword wouldn’t move. 

“A valiant effort Oscar. But nobody, not even Artorias, has ever bested the Abyss in combat.”

Ren kicked Oscar, sending him tumbling backwards into the bodies of Petrus and the crestfallen warrior. 

Ren stood over Oscar, and firmly pressed a boot against the knight’s chest.

Ren hefted the Morning Star once again, preparing to kill Oscar in the same way he had killed his other victims. 

Ren began to bring the spiked mace down. Oscar closed his eyes, waiting for the shriek of metal tearing to fill his ears, and the feeling of the spikes penetrating his skull, crushing bones and tearing organs as they burrowed deeper into his head.

But the blow never came. Ren still stood over Oscar, Morning Star raised high, but he had frozen in place. 

Ren growled, but his voice was mixed with Hydraxus, creating a haunting ambiance. 

“The sword….a divine blessing...what have you done…”

Black mist began to seep from the wound in Rens stomach, coiling around the sword.

“Damn...you…”

Ren promptly collapsed, the black mist dissipating as blood began to trickle from the wound. The weak voice of Hydraxus called out.

“...Oscar…”

And in seconds, Hydraxus faded away, the only remnants of his existence being a bloodstain and Oscars gore-covered sword


End file.
